Potted-bulb package



R E N D R A G E Q 6 2 9 11 9 v 0 N POTTED BULB PACKAGE Filed May 5, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizz/221 0! /an jardzzer g MW4q Nov. 9, 1926.

C. E. GARDNER FOTTED BULB PACKAGE Filed May 5, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES I 1,606,523 PATENT OFFICE.

CLARK E. GARDNER, OF OSAGE, IOWA.

POTTED-BULB PACKAGE.

Application filed May 5, 1924. Serial No. 711,058.

and provided with a movable wall, whereby access may be had into the interior of the package, the movable wall carrying a brace member adapted to extend between the top of the package and the potted bulb therein for holding the potted bulb against any movement. I

Still a further object is to provide a cover for the potted bulb to prevent the spilling of the contents thereof and to provide inturned tongues formed from the walls of the package and adapted to rest above the cover for holding the cover in position over the potted bulb.

Still a further object is to provide a package for potted bulbs with a number of ventilating openings, the material for forming the ventilating openings being in-turned to provide a number of spaced tongues adapted to rest above the potted bulb, and thereby prevent any movement of the potted bulb within the package, so as not to injure the bulb sprout. 1

Still a further object is to provide a brace member carried by one of the walls of the package and adapted to brace the potted bulb between the top of the package and the bulb pot, so as to prevent any injury to the bulb sprout.

Reference is here made to my co-pending application, Serial No. 665,878, filed October 1, 1923.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, ar-

- rangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my potted bulb package, showing the brace member carried by the movable wall.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bulb package for use in shipping bulbs in bud.

Figure 3 is a central, sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 with the package in closed position.

Figure 4 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, with the package in closed position.

Figure 5 is a vertical, central, sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5, some of theparts being spread out to more clearly illustrate the construction thereof.

Figure 7 is a vertical, central, sectional View taken on the line 77 of Figure 1; and I Figure 8 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figures 9 and 10 show blanks from which the packages are made.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference character A to indicate generally a package formed with side walls, a top and a bottom.

One of the walls 10 is a movable one and 'has a flap 11 thereon, which is carried by the movable wall 10. The movable wall 10 permitsAaccess into the interior of the package Received within the package A is a potted bulb B, which consists of a paper pot provided with a potting compound and a Holland bulb placed therein. The particular type of bulb B. shown is made the subject matter of a co-pending application, filed May 2, 1924, SerialNo. 710,568.

The package A has an upwardly extending extension 12 to which is fixed a cover 13. The cover 13 is provided with a central opening 14 for permitting the sprout 15 of the potted bulb to extend therethrough.

The cover 13 serves to retain the potting compound, which consists of sphagnum moss, peat and sulphate of ammonia within the pot itself.

The extension 12 retains one side of the cover 13 in position.

Extending downwardly from the top of the package and adapted to rest upon the cover 13 is a brace member 16.

One of the walls of the package A is pro-- vided with a pair of in-turned tongues 17, positioned so that their lower edges rest upon the upper side of the cover 13 for retaining the cover 13 against any movement, and thus holding the potted bulb B within the package against longitudinal movement.

The in-turned tongues 17 cause an opening 18 to be formed in one of the walls of the package, whereby the potted bulb may be ventilated, which is necessary in shipping and storing of potted bulbs in packages.

The brace 16 may be provided withinclined flanges 19 for thereby reinforcing the brace member 16.

The tongues 17, shown in Figure 3, are positioned, so that they fit within the brace member. 16.

From the construction of the parts just described, it will be seen that the extension 12 of the package A and the in-turned tongues 17 serve to hold the cover 13 in position directly over the potted bulb B.

' The flap 11 of the movable wall 10 is provided with a brace 20 formed by bending the flap 11 midway between its side edges at an angle to the main body portion of the flap 11 above the cover 13. The brace 20 when the movable wall 10 is in closed position will extend between the top of the pack age and engage the'cover 13. The brace member 20 is comparatively wide, so as to insure a proper brace substantially near thecenter of the package itself or at a point where the bulb sprout extends through the cover 13, as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

It may here again be mentioned that the package A is formed of paper, which is comparatively light, and that the side brace 20 and the in-turned tongues 17 form a very substantial and efiicient means for retaining the potted bulb in proper position within the package itself, and for holding the cover on the potted bulb to prevent the spilling of the contents thereof.

My package is also used for the shipping of bulbs in bud, so that when the recipient of the ackage takes the potted bulb therefrom, t e plants are in such condition that they will bloom within a very few days.

This particular type of package is made much longer than the packages used for shipping ordinary potted bulbs.

The packages for shipping bulbs in bud is referred to by the re erence character C and consists of four walls with a top and a bottom. One of the walls 21 is a movable one and carries a flap 22 thereon. The package C is also provided with an extension 12 and a cover 13 for covering the bulb pot B.

The cover 13 may be provided with a slit opening 23, so that when the long sprout 24: of the bulb in bud is removed from the package, the cover '13 may be spread apart at the slit opening 23 for withdrawing the long sprout 24 therefrom.

The package C is provided with a short downturned flap 25 adapted to rest against the movable wall 21 when the movable wall is in its closed position.

Some of the walls of the package C are provided with in-turned tongues 26, which are so arranged that their lower edges will rest against the cover 13 for retaining the cover 13 and the bulb pot B in position within the package C.

The flap 22 of the movable wall 21 is formed with a brace 27. The brace 27 does not extend between the top of the package and the cover 13, but is of suflicient length, so as to form a very substantial brace for the potted bulb. The brace 27 is of considerable width and its inner free edge rests substantially near the opening in the cover 13 adjacent the long sprout 24.

The movable wall 21 is also formed with in-turned tongues 26. The in-turned tongues 26 formed in the walls of the package C provide a number of openings 28, which permit the plant to be ventilated while it is within the package during the shipping or storing thereof.

The ventilating openings 28 are especiall necessary when a bulb in bud is shippe The tongues 26 are formed on three of the walls of the package C and the brace 27 on the flap 22 forms a means for engaging the cover 13 along the fourth wall of the package, which is not provided with any inturned tongues 26. The in-turned tongues 26 and the brace 27 project infrom all-four of the sides of the package and prevent any possible movement of the potted bulb within the package, which would cause injury to the budded bulb or plant itself.

Some changes may be made in the arrangement and construction of the various parts of my potted bulb package, without epartlng from the essential features and purposes of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a package for containing a potted bulb, a cover for the pot to prevent the spilling of the contents thereof and tongues formed from the'walls of the package for holding the cover in place on the potted bulb to prevent its longitudinal movement within the package.

2. In a device of the class described, a package for containing a potted bulb, a cover for the pot for preventing the spill- 115 ing of the contents thereof and tongues formed from the walls of the package for holding the cover in place and whereby ventilating openings are formed in the package above said cover.

3. A package for containing a potted bulb comprising a single sheet of paper folded to form side walls, a top and a bottom, one of said walls being movable for permitting access into said package, a cover for the potted 125 bulb to retain the potting material and the bulb in the pot, and a brace flap within the package adapted to extend between the top thereof and the cover for preventing longitudinal movement of the potted bulb within the package, said brace flap being formed integral with said movable wall.

4. A package for containing a potted bulb comprising a single sheet of paper folded to form side walls, a top and a bottom, one of said Walls being movable for permitting access into said package, a cover for the potted bulb to retain the potting material and the bulb in the pot, and a brace flap within the package carried by the movable wall adapted to engage said cover for the potted bulb for preventing longitudinal movement of the potted bulb within the package.

5. In a device of the class described, a

package for containing a potted bulb having a brace member carried by one of the walls thereof and adapted to rest above the bulb pot, a cover for said ot 0t prevent the spilling of the contents t ereof, said member adapted to engage said cover of said pot for holding said pot in place and preventing injury of the bulb sprout.

6. In a device of the class described, a package for containing a potted bulb having one of its walls movable for permitting access to the interior ofthc package, a brace member carried by said movable wall adapted to rest above the bulb pot, a cover for said pot to prevent the spilling of the contents thereof, said member holding said cover of access to the interior of the package, a brace member carried by said movable wall adapted to rest above the bulb pot, a cover for said pot to prevent the spilling of the contents thereof, said brace member adapted to engage said cover for holding said bulb pot in place and preventing the injury of the bulb sprout.

8. In a device of the class described, a package for containing a potted bulb having atop, a bottom, four side walls and a cover for the pot, one of said walls being movable for allowing access to the interior of the package, a portion formed integral with said movable wall adapted to lie against one of the other of said side walls when the package is closed and a portion of said last-mentioned portion extending toward the interior of the device for holding said cover on said pot to retain the vcontents thereof within the pot and to prevent longitudinal movement of the pot within the package.

Des Moines, Iowa, April 29, 1924.

CLARK E. GARDNER. 

